Defending the Shoosmith name: Grandson of Chester couple talks about his grandfather, love for the land
0Jack T. Shoosmith II was named after his grandfather. Shoosmith, 29, remembers his “Poppa” as someone who worked “extremely hard,” drove a logging truck, welded and then drove a bulldozer. A project manager for a local construction company, Shoosmith said his grandparents grew up poor in Chester. “When they got married, there was no running water in their house,” said Jack, the oldest grandson of Jack and Nina Shoosmith. “Grandpa dropped out of high school and went to work for his two older brothers [Dick and Etzel],” Jack said. “He was driving a logging truck at age 14.” The brothers…
Supervisors questioned about megasite-related issues
0Editor’s note: The following came from a public comment session at the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors’ May 23 meeting. I have just a few comments and questions … about the recently withdrawn megasite rezoning application by the Economic Development Authority. I know that the county reimbursed the EDA for the $75,000 rezoning application fee. We have never had an explanation as to why that was done. The EDA says the board of supervisors approves all county funds paid to the EDA, so you must have approved this. I believe the citizens of Chesterfield deserve a refund of that $75,000,…
Atlantic Constructors adds 200 jobs after expansion
0An open house celebrating the recent expansion of Atlantic Constructors Inc. was held May 24. ACI completed a 30,000-square-foot expansion of its 100,000-square-foot facility at 1401 Battery Brooke Parkway last fall. The sheet metal and pipe fabrication plant began using the new portion of the building in February, said Nathan Karr, the company’s business development executive. He noted that the expansion enabled the company – which was founded as Hungerford Mechanical in the 1957 – to bring piping fabrication and plumbing from its location in downtown Richmond to the Bellwood area. The company has added more than…
Popeye’s, Wendy’s, car wash, retail offices planned
0Pedro Lujan and Richpop LLC plan to build a Popeye’s restaurant at 12149 Jefferson Davis Highway. A 3,185-square-foot building 19 1/2 feet tall is planned on 2.44 acres. Site plan approval is pending. •A Wendy’s restaurant is planned for 7030 Iron Bridge Road. The site plan has been approved, planning administrator Joe Feest said. Kingsland Towncenter LLC of North Chesterfield plans to construct a 2,584-square-foot building on .94 acre with 24 parking spaces. The land has commercial zoning. •A “Flagstop Car Wash” is planned for 2100 Ruffin Mill Road. Plans include a 3,227-square-foot building 20-feet tall on 1.08 acres. The…
Theater background helps in classroom with fourth-graders
2Before she decided to become a teacher, Hillary Mekanik was a theater major at VCU. After two years, she decided she’d rather use theater as a hobby or skill and said she sort of “fell into teaching.” Mekanik teaches fourth grade at C.C. Wells Elementary. She said her days as a theater major still come in handy when preparing lessons. “I feel very lucky to have a job that allows me to use hobbies and skills I’ve grown up with. My theater plays a big role, and it keeps me going,” she said. Mekanik said she sticks to tradition in…
Miss Chesterfield Scholarship award winners
0Winners of the 2018 Miss Chesterfield Scholarship Pageant were honored May 23 by the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors. They are, from left: Madison Walker, Catherine Paige Harris, Rasheeda Abdulmumet, Chelsea Keyhea, Victoria Chuah and Laura Brooke McCarney. Chuah was named Miss Chesterfield, Keyhea was Miss Chesterfield Outstanding Teen and McCarney was Miss Chesterfield Teen In-Training. Walker, Harris and Abdulmumet were named Miss Chesterfield Princesses. The pageant is preliminary to the Miss Virginia and Miss America scholarship pageants.
John Tyler workforce center to be named after Talley
0At a May 18 groundbreaking ceremony at John Tyler Community College, college president Edward “Ted” Raspiller announced the college’s new workforce center will be named the William H. Talley III Center for Workforce Development. Petersburg resident Talley is a longtime advocate of the college. The project, which will renovate the Nicholas Center and Bird Hall, will begin this summer and is slated to last 14 months.
Sheriff’s deputy charged with carnal knowledge of inmate
0CHESTERFIELD — Stephen C. Neal, 51, of Key Deer Drive in Chesterfield, was arrested last week and charged with one count of carnal knowledge of an inmate. The incident is alleged to have occured with a woman March 5 while Neal was serving as a deputy sheriff and on duty assigned to the jail. The Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office immediately conducted an internal investigation that concluded with Neal’s termination. Concurrently, the Sheriff’s Office requested the Chesterfield Police Department conduct a criminal investigation which resulted in the charge. Neal had been employed with the Chesterfield Sheriff’s Office beginning Jan. 17, 2017.…